Monday, March 19, 2012

Defining survivorship?

Should a child conceived through in vitro fertilization after the death of its father be eligible for Social Security survivors benefits? Part of me says no: Social Security’s survivors benefits are designed as insurance; if you choose to conceive a child knowing that one parent is deceased, that’s different than having a parent die after a child is born.

On the other hand, I suspect that mothers applying for survivors benefits in such instances probably have a good legal case based on how the Social Security Act is written.

National Public Radio explores the question more closely here.

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